Study summary

Adding immunotherapy to an artery-blocking procedure delayed growth

EMERALD-1 trial · 616 people, phase 3 · Published January 2025, The Lancet

What was tested

Durvalumab plus bevacizumab, added to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE, a procedure that blocks blood flow to the tumor), against TACE with placebo, for liver cancer not suitable for surgery but treatable with embolization.

What they found

• Time before growth improved with durvalumab plus bevacizumab added to TACE (hazard ratio 0.77).
• Durvalumab alone (without bevacizumab) added to TACE did not show a clear benefit.

What it means

The first positive phase 3 trial adding a systemic drug to TACE; durvalumab must be paired with bevacizumab to show benefit.